FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS BY CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA - IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH-EDUCATION

Objectives. This study investigated the relationship between psychosoc ial and behavioral factors and the frequency of emergency department v isits for childhood asthma. Methods. Data obtained from a survey of pa rents of 445 children who were being treated for asthma in the emergen cy room of a large urban hospital were examined. Results. Factors asso ciated with high emergency department use included the child's being o f younger age, a greater number of days with symptoms of asthma, a hig her number of asthma medicines prescribed, a prior hospitalization for asthma, a lower level of parental confidence in the efficacy of medic ines, and a failure to use a criterion for deciding to seek emergency cars. Conclusions. Younger children with asthma and children with prev ious hospitalization for asthma are at high risk for using emergency c are. Families who use the emergency department frequently need to be f urther educated in the inflammatory nature of the disease, in the effi cacy of proper use of medicine, in the need for ongoing care, and in c riteria to distinguish these symptoms that can be handled at home from those requiring emergency care.